This invention relates to packaging and more particularly to an automated interactive apparatus for processing and packaging of dissimilar articles.
Processing and packaging random size articles requires substantial amounts of labor and adds to the cost of doing business. Cost control is important for the profitable operation of manufacturing plants, warehouses, supermarkets, mail order businesses, and the like.
One deficiency of existing apparatus for automated processing and packaging articles is that they are only capable of processing and packaging similar articles. Booth U.S. Pat. No. 4,584,821 and Smaw U.S. Pat. No. 4,018,031 are exemplary of the existing art. Booth discloses an apparatus for packaging similar size fruit in honeycomb structures. Smaw U.S. Pat. No. 4,018,031 discloses an apparatus for packaging similar size paper products such as toilet tissue, napkins and towels in cartons.